Kepler-507 b

Astrophysical Synthesis & Habitability Characterization

Kepler-507 b is a confirmed super-earth exoplanet orbiting the star Kepler-507, located approximately 1277.4 light-years (391.64 parsecs) from the Solar System. First announced in 2016 by Kepler using the Transit detection technique (producing an estimated primary transit depth of 0.0082% across the stellar disk), this world measures 1.3 Earth radii and has a measured mass of 5.697 Earth masses. Combining its mass and radius yields a mean bulk density of 14.3 g/cm³ (an iron-enriched, high-compression rocky core), a surface gravity of 3.37 g⊕ (33.05 m/s²), and an escape velocity of 23.4 km/s.

In its orbital architecture around Kepler-507, Kepler-507 b completes one full revolution every 3.568 Earth days at a semi-major axis of 0.04781 AU (an ultra-close orbit less than one-seventh of Mercury's 0.387 AU distance from the Sun, where strong stellar tidal forces typically induce synchronous rotation). Its mean orbital velocity is approximately 145.8 km/s (compared to Earth's 29.8 km/s). The orbit is modeled as circular (e = 0.00), maintaining a constant stellar distance throughout its year.

⚠️ Thermal Regime (Irradiated / Hot Zone): At an equilibrium temperature of 1407 K (+1134°C / +2073°F) and receiving 877.33 S⊕ (~1,194,042 W/m²), Kepler-507 b orbits interior to the runaway greenhouse boundary where surface liquid water cannot persist.

The host star Kepler-507 is classified as a stellar host with an effective photospheric temperature of 6,113 K, a radius of 1.32 R☉, a mass of 1.16 M☉, an estimated bolometric luminosity of 2.183 L☉. Stellar evolution modeling indicates an estimated stellar age of 3.8 Gyr and a metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.06 dex (metal-rich relative to the Sun). From Earth, Kepler-507 shines at apparent V-band magnitude 12.197 (faint and requiring research-grade or CCD telescopic photometry) in the Northern celestial hemisphere.

Discovery Facility: Kepler · Catalogue Source: NASA Exoplanet Archive (IPAC / Caltech).